Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-22
OLD DRESDEN.

Win long breath or satisfaction and the air or
eonnoisseur viewed the pink tinted heap beside
Mn Pulling on his dilapidated hat he allowed
the cool morning breeze TO play among the some
what ragged locks which,hung over his forehead
The sun, Ike great crimson ball, hung sleepily
aooSe the eastern horizon, casting q faint glow
upon the turretted face OF the Floritas and gid
Ing the distant peaks OF the Tres Hernanas, stand
Ing In close-linked embrace, ike allied sentinels
guarding the Mexican frontier. In the long, level
space which stretched between the mountains,
born alofr on the curling fingers OF the morning
mist. appeared a phantom city, It's casteiiated
heights and stately domes rearing themselves as
In prophecy Of The years 70 come when q
noble civilization shall redeem the barren
mesas Of The southern territories, and raise It's
monuments OF art and architecture amid the ard
plainA
The echo Of human voices fell upon Dresdsns
ear
"oh. John, Why must you gogv woman's
voice, low and sweet, with q tremor OF pain
"Come now, Helen, don't be baby, dear. Three
weeks VIII 1y BY IN no time. And who knows how
rtch strike may make"
"But don't want IL. / need you, john" Old
Dresden addressed himself 10 the woOd-pile with
struck his hand. The sting OF the wound re-
freshed him, and little later he heard the door
Of the cottage slam, while the clink OF a horses
hoof sounded on the gravelly soil AS he watched
horse and rider disappear at length In the direc-
sion OF the mirage which had shifted its form so
as to resemble huge beast OF prey couched for q
spring upon Its prey, something like very hot
German oath rolled like stified thunder from his
lips
"A teufel OF a fellow he murmured more calmly
under breath instant later, accenting the quail
fncation With stout blows OF the axe on an 0bsti-
nate root, wnich had as many cOntortiOns a
dying serpent "a teufel OF fellow. Leaf a little
nAu Ike DAT alone town TO Mexico TO tig golf in
he ADDED. neil: ativeIy' leaning upon the axe axe
nelve. his face screwed into quaint grimace ''as
Old Ja should take Oh his scaf for him-but de
with . sudden indrawing Of his shoulders and
On accompanying troop OF the corners OF his
ssrsa Judgment, As he renewed me Combat with
the obstinate fuel
Old Dresden was not the only one who disap-
proved OF John Meredith's journey through the
Wild Sierra Madre at that season of the year, when
storms were frequent In the mountains and
partner. DAVID Roweii. mad entered a vigorous
protest, but TO no avail John Meredith had the
pugnacity Of determination peculiar TO men OF
genius From early boyhood his career mad been
stgnalized by a series OF daring and headStrong
exploits, and when, as a browning feat, he had
captured pretty Helen Gresham by an audacious
move, II David Rowen felt any soreness OF heart
over her ca pitulatt0n he chOked IL 0rayeiy down
and barborsd no bitterness In his honest heart
week after her husbands departure, Mrs.
Meredith received a scrawi from Mesiiia, where he
had expected 70 meet friend, written just as
ned, my dear, he wrote. In conclusion "the days
Will pass quickly and three weeks will soon be UP.
But you must count from the date OF our depart
ure.- she dried her eyes and counted the days
from the 10th Of February.
Ga the LIST of March a warm wind swept over
the southern taole-landS. Under Its breath the
snow upon the mountain peaks vanished 8s II by
magic and the dry bed OF the Miembres became the
course OF surging torrent. sweeping onward fora
nnal plunge into the waters OF the gulf. The fern
like foliage OF the mesquite commenced TO iu-
tiously unfold. and the Wild verbena and lupine
made tiny patches Of purple and magenta over the
on the 50 Of March Helen Meredith rose with
tremuious eagerness at dawn. The morning was
calm and still but peculiar obscurtty about the
horizon presaged the approach OF the New-Mexi-
can sirocco. stationed at a bull's-eye window In
the attic with 1eld-glass In her hand, the young
wife kept her eyes steadily fixed on tine winding
Nlvery ribbon, atrenuared 10 a thread In the dis
lance which marked the line OF travel pursued
by passers 10 and fro over the Mexican line. For
upward OF an hour nothing rewarded her vigil
lance; then long and blurred mass developed
OF stOur-imbed oxen and attended by a deputa-
tion OF half-clothed swarthy Mexicans. Another
rsncher apSeaTed the horses strSn % e eHan
along, while man and wife, perched ON the high
drivers seat, smoked their clay pipes In placid
Absorbed IN her anxious watch little Mrs Mere
9TH had not observed that the wind had risen
and; ioI moment, was almost appalled, to see
dun-colored cloud. which, as 1t drew near
enectually concealed every trace of the cottages
passer-oy on her own sidewalk. Shreds OF CLOTH
bits OF paSteoodrd and great sheets OF paper were
dust and gravel, and borne onward in lis mad
hight In a lower latitude the great velocity Of
the wind, coupled with the force OF o weightier at
mospnere, would have given the storm the force OF
Acyclone- AS IL was, IL would do little mischief
beyond arousing the tempers OF mankind and up
roofing Sundry outhOuSeS built upon insecure
foundstions Mrs Meredith, with coolness and
patience born OF experience. bore this assault upon
her domicile with charming eauanImity. Moving
nm no
Der Of long and slender sand-bags, Indispensable
adIuncts To the tidy New-Mexican housewife. and
10 arrange then. IN their accustomed places over
door and window sills thus nghting the Intrusive
element on the hom9op Ithic principle.
Al that day and tue next she waited in melan-
choly expectancy, not knowing what minute the
familiar step might be heard on her little porch
On the third day the storm subsded, and the
fearless eyes OF the despairlng woman beheld
only desolate plain, fanked by pitiess hills and
tntersected by the white road, along which no
sign OF lie could be detected The mountains In
all directions had renewed their erestS OF snow
succeeding d iys moved by In tOrturing suspense
As time progressed the suns rays beat ever more
warmly upon the earth, and by the middle OF
March the heat az MONDAY was ike a foretasre OF
summer. Pa-sers-by, as they neared the small
sottag-. learned 10 expect vision OF a par OF
tmp.oring eyes at the dOor or window or at night
fall wotnAns form, developed In a worsted shawl
pacing up and down behind the double row OF
tuied the sole yerdure In the garden. MARIANA
Ia the moated grange" quoted few OF the more
mtschlevous. In wiIlIul travesty on the situatoa-
Tor his wife's anxiety over Merediths prolonged
absence was the subject OF general Comment
Meeting with little sympathy among those accus.
toned TO the uncertainties Of frontier life
Two men Jailed TO share In the prevailing
apathy. David howell, on his regular horseback
nde b Tore breakfast each morning, never failed
u circle abont his partners house. ana as the sad
SUBSTITUTING lace presented Itself 70 him ocular
Well Nrs Meredith. has that missing lord ana
master OF yours turned up yet:"
Aiatsrins negative would greet him.
Exactly as prOphesied. You might "a well
make up your mind you'll never see him again.
soDe OF those pretty Mexicans down there have
Ieu him captive" AT which the lady he Addressed
moved by her wifely featly and love, would break
cut In Passionate rotest, and lose ner anxiety In
wrathiol indignation, while the hor,eman as he
turned toward the country, changed his gay loOk
OF banter Tor expressl OF savage ferociIy and
charged bis steed upon the prickIy yuccas and
mildly anathemat led the recreant spouse
Al twilight an Insignificant ngure with bowed
shoulders and saock OF bushy hair going silently
about MS chores In the back yard. stole furtive
elAnces AZ the sid-ey I'd young matron and re-
turned 70 his lonely shanty sit and brood over a
weighty project tlcuoatinx In bis troubled brain
II was generally understood tnroUg hout the COM
munity that some dark mystery attached 10
Old Dresden, the Conceament OF his proper appel-
ta,oa and adoption OF the name or his native city
being regarded as most eliminating evidence
But the old fellow kept on the even tenor OF his
WY, Attending 70 bis small stock OF poultry and
Dellins his eggs and chickens at an advance of p
Yef cent on the market price, wholly Indifferent 10
The praise or blame OF the rest OF humanity
pectors 2rvinised return there began 10 be little
STIR In downtown circles. News OF a fresh Apache
outbreak had been received, which augured in FOR
any unprotected prospectors In their vicinity
FROM laughing Indifference the business men be.
gan 70 discuss The chances OF Asrediths safety.
= W.Nn RaN